Eclair cake is one of the yummiest Easter dessert recipes with a sweet creamy flavor that closely mimics its namesake, an air of nostalgia, and a moment of bliss in every bite. This scrumptious icebox cake is the epicenter of decadent cake recipes that comes together in under half an hour with no baking required. Simplicity at its finest, I must say.
All that cold creamy sweet éclair flavor in a no-bake recipe makes this one of my undisputed favorite Easter cakes and I am not alone on this.
You gotta love our no-bake recipes like my pumpkin pie lasagna, chocolate lasagna, strawberry tiramisu, million dollar pie
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What I Love About This Recipe
- Sweet-n-creamy
- Chocolate covered
- No-bake recipe
How To Make Eclair Cake Recipe
Simplicity is the name of the game here. Whip up your pudding and combine with a cool whip before alternating pudding and graham cracker layers in your pan. Mix up your chocolate glaze and cover the top. Slide it into the fridge and Viola! How simple is that?
Recipe Notes
There’s something magical that happens when you leave an icebox cake in the fridge and this practically effortless cake is no exception. I know it’s hard, but you’ve got to leave this baby in the fridge overnight for best results. During this time, it will set up and all the flavors will have time to mingle.
Ingredient Notes
This totally simple and dangerously yummy cake is made from everyday ingredients you’ve probably got on hand. To make things easy, you’ll want to leave the cool whip in the fridge overnight before making your cake – that way it’s pliable instead of rock hard frozen.
Feel free to use sugar-free pudding and cool whip along with skim milk to save calories. With the sweet chocolate topping, they’ll never notice the difference!
Glaze: I’m someone who loves homemade frosting. And I know lots of people who have a special homemade frosting of their own. What’s great about this recipe is that you can feel good about using your own homemade frosting in substitution for the glaze.
Whatever your favorite frosting recipe is, go for it. I like using the glaze in this recipe because it’s not too heavy – it’s light and deliciously complements the cake without overpowering the flavor. What I would recommend is that you avoid using a really heavy frosting. That will weigh down a cake that’s designed to be airy.
Storing Tips
Of course, you’ll want to keep your this in the fridge if there’s anything left over after serving time. This one goes really fast!
Can You Freeze This?
Sure, you can freeze this but why would you need to? It only takes 20 minutes to throw one together. Keep in mind that it’s best served after a night in the fridge but if you must freeze wrap it well and remember that the texture may change a little. Simply thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
Make Ahead Tips
This little beauty only takes a few minutes to make and it’s got to sit overnight or equivalent time before serving. Technically, you are kind of making it ahead.
How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge?
Your sweet creamy eclair cake will delight you for up to 5 days in the fridge if stored properly but don’t expect it to stick around that long! It’s just so good it gets gobbled up in the blink of an eye.
Recipe Variations
There are a few different things you can do with your sweet creamy cake but its so good just like it is. Here are a few options.
One bite of this decadent cake just may send your taste buds into a beautiful frenzy! It may just inspire you to make a moist rich chocolate icebox cake or even a tart-n-tangy lemon icebox cake. When you’re ready for a new twist, try a lovely Triple Berry Icebox Cake.
For a slightly different flavor, try using banana pudding instead of the vanilla pudding. You end up with a pretty unique éclair cake flavor. While I still prefer the traditional vanilla, this is a nice alternative for a change of pace.
Sliced fruits (like bananas or strawberries) pair very well with this vanilla cake. They add a nice bit of extra flavor in every bit. On an especially hot day, try a few fresh slices of fruit to really cool things off!
Eclair Cake
Ingredients
- 2 (14.4-ounces) boxes graham crackers
- 2 (3.4-ounces) boxes instant vanilla pudding
- 8 ounces cool whip thawed
- 3 1/2 cups whole milk
Glaze:
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 6 tablespoons whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Line the bottom of a 9 X 13-inch pan with a single layer of graham crackers, cutting them as need be to cover completely.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the pudding mix and milk with a handheld electric mixer on medium, for 2 minutes. Fold in the Cool Whip.
- Spread half the pudding mix over the layer of graham crackers, taking care to level the top.
- Place another layer of graham crackers over the pudding mixture then spread the remaining pudding mixture over the top. Place a final layer of graham cracker on top, smooth side of the crackers facing up.
- Meanwhile, make the glaze: In a medium microwave-safe bowl, melt butter with milk (doesn't need to boil). Mix in vanilla, cocoa, then mix in powdered sugar until glaze is smooth. Evenly pour glaze over the top of graham cracker. Refrigerate overnight.
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More Easter Cake Recipes
Here are some other beautifully scrumptious Easter cakes you may enjoy.
- Pig Pickin Cake – More scrumptious flavor than should be allowed.
- Berry Chantilly Cake – A delicious labor of love to lighten summer afternoons.
- Hummingbird Cake – Tangy cream cheese, chopped pecans and cake oh my!
- Key Lime Cake – Think key lime pie on steroids.
- Pineapple Sunshine Cake – Moist, sweet and creamy delicious.
Conclusion
This sweet simple eclair cake is the epitome of scrumptious deliciousness and it only takes a few minutes to throw together. It’s ideal for friendly get-togethers and special celebrations, with a sweet creamy disposition that pleases the palate. You’re going to fall in love with this yummy icebox cake that’ll get requested over and over again.
Hi Janet,
I made this 2 days ago & refrigerated it for over 20 hours. I like the flavor, but it did not set so it was hard to serve & seemed more like pudding instead of a square of dessert. I followed the recipe exactly as written and used skim milk as one of your suggestions. Any recommendations?
Hi there,
Are the 782 calories listed for only 1/8 of a pie or for the whole pie please?
Hi Laura! It’s for the whole pie 😀
I would like to subscribe but can’t find where.
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Love this ..have made it several times and its the only one i like to make because it has the glaze recipe..i noticed in recipe for glaze it has vanilla in the ingredients but not in the actual recipe
Hi Alison. Sorry about that. I’ve amended the recipe. Its added with the cocoa powder and powdered sugar <3